Combat Zone, the

The city's "adult entertainment district," located between Downtown Crossing and Chinatown, more or less. The porno places are now almost entirely gone, and the "combat" these days are mostly between developers and Chinatown residents who don't want to be displaced by expensive condos planned for the area's rundown buildings.Chris Gassler

Comments

Allittle before my time. I entered the scene as a dancer there in mid 80's, Mel was the owner and his goofy son (just kidding if u see this post) were in charge. There was Joel one of the bartenders, Ricky the rough looking bouncer. Dancers I remember,, Karen, Chanel, P. Cheyenne, Sweet Sativa, Dori, and a host of others... In my early 50's I've had to rehab from all that mixing, I could really swill the drinks. I stuck it out from 79 thru 83 (at least for what I can remember). I would love to know about any of the characters of this 'time'. Or e me at [email protected].

Wow. I was in touch with Geoff on a very occasional basis but had not seen or talked with him in a few years. He and I were very friendly, had met socially as we lived in the same building, and spent much time together. We used to take his dog Greta with us to TC's opposite Berklee and she'd lay outside on the sidewalk - no leash ever - waiting. We'd leave after closing and go for a walk while she hunted the rats. Just hunted down his Obituary.

Later I worked at the Naked i first as a day manager, Billy was very ill from cancer and was on qualuudes for the pain, so I was really his assistant but did most of the work while he supervised and coached. The huge benefit of this position is I had all the dancers home phone numbers because I did the phone calls. Hi, it's Joel. Your on the schedule are you coming in? Yup, wake up calls. Later I bartended for about 5 years. This was 1980 - 1985.

Sure I loved the dancers like you imagine and dated more than a few, but so many were more like sisters, sexy as all get up, but not as interesting to me. Adored Karen (long hair) and Kendra and Dori Dixon, and spent time with so many others after hours. One time I walked into Upstairz in Key West and I'm talking to the bouncer who wants to collect money from me (admission) and there is a scream and it's Butterfly aka Linda Lamia who had seen me and screamed, comes running out of the club naked except for a thong and spike heels and jumps on me. I think I'll start an ex-employee list for a future reunion! HAHAHAH How will that be! If you want to be on it send me your real name, stage name if applicable, club affiliation and any other info. If you've got any photos I'd love to start to collect these too so forward them along. If I get somewhat of a mass of them I'll circulate them around. [email protected]

Kendra - I remember you - you were my favorite dancer @ the naked I - you were always very nice to me - I recall you wore a fedora and cute little rock n' roll outfits on stage - We often ran into each other @ the Rat - good times !!!

Stopped in one time at the Naked I as a 16 or 17 y.o. in the early 70's to see if I could get a drink. So I bellied up to the bar and, well, memory isn't serving me too well so I can't say if I got that drink. Just remember sitting there for several minutes and a woman working the joint came up to me and started trying to sweet talk me into buying her a drink ......rubbing her breasts on my arm and everything. I politely declined and sat there for a few more minutes. Then I felt the need to turn and look behind me and could swear on my life that Debbie Harry was standing there by herself just hanging out. I couldn't believe it.....that's the reason I found this site - thinking of Debbie Harry and trying to find a way to ask her if that was her.
The majority of my time in the Zone was walking up one side of Washington and down the other ducking in and out of those peep shows, spending my hard earned paper route money... Lol !!
Aaah yes !!! The good ole days !!!

he was my wifes agent but that was way before i knew her she told me about him she had to blow him every night before she started her name was jane stage name strawberry at the pussycat a natural red head 18 when she started

oh the fond memories of the zone, when I came home on leave from the US Navy, I'd make a beeline to the zone from 1976 to 1982. and then on and off till 1988 when I left the state.
dated a Radcliff sophmore from the naked I, fell in love with princess cheyenne, and had a set of twins with very long brunette hair from the mousetrap/intermission or the 2o"clock club. forgot which club.
Miss the last of the Burlesque dancers from the Pilgrim theatre. Society the poorer for the passing of this art form.

I do remember you, quite clearly. I remember one day, about two or three days before Mel made you a feature, you were dancing in the back room and Lisa Treat walked by saying to Mel that you were the sexiest dancer she had ever seen. You had just started doing "floor shows" (remember those?) and there was a crowd of lunch time construction workers and stock brokers along the stage and on the stairs watching you. I also remember the magazine article we were interviewed for (written by Cheyenne) with that awful picture by Roswell ______. A little while after that, you cut your hair and Mel was pissed about it.

Anyways, it's nice to hear that you're well and intact! Some of us weren't that lucky, I guess. I've heard through the grapevine that some of us have died, others just faded away, strung out. I'm doing well. I left the business for a number of years (4 years) to get into my own business and then headed back when that went south. I ended up staying until the end, when the club closed on New Year's Eve, 1995 (I think). I married one of the bartenders and life's been good to both of us.

I don't know if you've heard any news where you are, but a couple of years ago, Cheyenne's daughter, Torrie, was killed in a car crash. I've not spoken to Lucy in maybe 18-20 years, but her face has been in the news from time to time. Mostly to do with the psychological counseling practice she had somewhere on the south shore, and of course when her daughter died.

I know this may sound crazy but my mother was a dancer at the naked i in boston in the 80's and 90's I was looking to see if anyone knew any info about her or wants to sit down and have a chat grab some food and talk. I was born in 1992 she gave me up at the hospital because she was a dancer at the time and into drugs. 26 years later still looking for her. I know it may not mean much to most people becuase she may have not made the best decisions but I'd like to meet her if I had the chance. Please contact me if you're willing to help or may know anything! Thank you so much!

I mostly remember the late 80's - 90's at Jerome's Naked i. Let's see ...

(1) Gwynneth (dancer, waitress and bartender). The Irish bartender was her boyfriend: D.., D-something. She was so warm and sweet. She knew Princess Cheyenne and many others.

(2) Katrina (black hair; incredible dancers' legs and flexibility). I think she was a professional dancer by training. What a sense of humor she had!

(3) A dancer with long brown hair whose name was, I think, Mary: she put on spectacular shows with costumes and careful choreography to match the music; she used fake blood capsules in her vampire act; she'd crush the capsules in her mouth and the blood would drip down her body. Unfortunately, the place had become more of a strip club than a show club and when her tips were bad (worse and worse towards the end) she could be so bitter. She was very artistic. I hope she found a more rewarding outlet for her talents.

(4) I think Lady Linda Lemaya traveled back and forth between Boston and Florida. She must have been more than 6 feet tall. Some Boston musician wrote and performed "Queen of the Naked i" about her and she would sometimes dance to it. "Let's go on down, right next to Chinatown, In the cabaret, it can be night or day. Number 666, it's still the same old tricks. ... Raise your dollars high, to the Queen of the Naked i." She had a butterfly tattoo on her derriere. Some people say that PC is the Queen of the Naked i but did anybody write a song about PC?

(5) Topaz: incredible Japanese or Japanese-American gymnast. She danced to Miami Sound Machine's "Conga" and would do energetic backflips and splits and was just amazing. She wore a peach or tangerine colored shift / dress and matching bikini.

(6) Cassie and M-something. Cassie was short and had short hair that was sometimes blond and sometimes black. M-something might actually be Cassandra because they sort of kept changing names. Other members of that clique were "Ankh" or "Anka" (brown hair) and a petite bleached blond whose boyfriend was a big Native American biker dude. She showed me her Dream Catcher.

(7) The owner of Montien was a regular patron.

(8) Chicken George was a regular.

(9) There was some guy who was supposedly a Harvard Prof who sat in the front near the main stage area on the "Essex St." side. Dancers told me he was very weird but safe.

(10) The Brazilian Sisters! I forget their names. Mercedes? and Something. They were NOT twins. Skinny with bolt-ons and athletic with small, beautiful naturals who had won some bikini and or wet T-shirt contests at other local bars. I can "hear" their music sets in my head but I don't know the names of the songs.

I am french my name is Isabelle and I worked for 2 years with Declan her girlfriend and Victoria and the scottish guy as well ...great fun for the ilLegal alliens we where ...very rich human (universal) experience !

Gwenneths boyfriend was the scottish bartender Dez the super tall guy. I think there married now. Declan died I think. His girlfriend the brazilian girl Debby said he did when he went back to Irland.

Brazilian sisters were mahony and nicky. Mahony had the "boob job" and the black feather outfit. nicky was relly tanned and natural. chicken Geordge liked to buy them drinks alot. I think Mercdeds was the older sister but i didn't know her. There was another group of sisters from Brazile. I dont remember there names but one of them was kinda older like around 40 or so when she was there.

Dancer wth long brown hair is not Mary. Her names Karen and she use to get mad alot. She was a good dancer but sometimes yell at the guys coz they did not tip her.

1 of the old bar tenders works at Star bucks. He was kind of fat with long hair. Jonny? Jim? He seems to know were every one is and has lots of news about them.

I herd Teddy the manager died of a heart attack. Lambro one of the owners was working the in the tv department at some store.

The Havard guys name was John. We used to call him John the barker. He also used to follow the dancers movements with his head. I was one of the dancers there. We used to think it was funny to get him
to bark and follow our movements but now I think it was actually kind of mean. Also,I'm not exactly sure if he worked at Harvard. I think it was at MIT and it was rumored that he was a professor but no one was really sure.

I happen to have a large-ish framed photo of Sandy Shore. Very tastefully done, soft focus photo (one breast is kind of visible). It is actually autographed to my dad, Henry. He no longer wants it, but it doesn't feel right to me to huck it into the trash. Does anyone want it? You'd need to pick it up at my place of business in the center of Peabody, Ma. Let me know.

I'm a journalist and novelist writing a non-fiction book about the Puopolo murders and the two trials. I am trying to write an objective book from all sides and see the event as social history which captures Boston at a pivotal time. I need to reconstruct the Combat Zone in 1976. I'd also love to hear from anyone who knew or knows Richie Allen, Edward Soares and Leon Easterling. I think some if not all of them have passed away, but would love to know more about them.

THE FERRARI'S OF CANADA, ANYONE REMEMBER???I'M GEORGE MARTINELLI, THE LEAD SINGER. WE STARTED PLAYING IN JEROME'S ON WASHINGTON STREET IN 1963. WE WERE THERE FO 8 YEARS.I'D GO ACROSS THE STREET TO SEE ROGER PACE ON MY BREAK AND AGREE, ROGER WAS AWSOME. WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM PEOPLE THAT WAS AROUND AT THAT [email protected]

There was a band called the five fascinators that for sure played Jeromes in 1965. They were the original Johnny and the Hurricanes
band, Iwould sit in occasionally, met my wife of 44 years in Jeromes. Absolutely the best time of my life CZ 1965.

I remember Alan (Schwartz, though he didn't usually disclose that, trying to pass for Italian!). I remember when he worked across the street, at Howard's, before he opened his own place. My father had a fruitstand on the corner of Hayward Place, and I basically grew up there, watching the area fully become "the Zone".

Pre-"zone": Essex Deli on Essex St, Nick's Cafeteria on Washington and Avery, Odessa Deli on Avery....Snyder's Army Navy!!! House of Hurwitz! It was a real neighborhood, and I was there every day after school and 8-6 Saturdays and all summer, from 71 on...would love to hear more DAYTIME memories of the zone!

I was in The Zone '73-'75. Worked at the Carribe 3-4 times. (What a scumbag Leo was..)
Also frequently worked the Living Room, Squires and 2 0'clock.
Some of my besties I remember were...Desiree, Ronnie Fox, Trinket, Barbarella and side kick I think Rachael....

Georgina, I was great friends with Rachael, from Venezuela, right? I spent a lot of time in the Two O’Clock. My regular bartender was the nephew of “Lefty Two-Guns” Ruggiero of NYC. Al Pacino played him in “Donnie Brasco”. Interesting folks.

Do you have any memories of; Jackie Brody, Stephanie Rose, Krishna or Sweet Lorraine?

man i remember as a 16 year in the late 70s i was hook on them strip clubs.i love the pussycat.you may wonder how did they let me in,i had MONEY!!!!!!!!! i had got my first job as a lifeguard,and lets just say that most of my money went there.i remember this black striper name symone.MAN THIS WOMEN WAS BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!! as soon as i saw her,lust just over came me.there was also this beautiful white stripper name STAR.man she was hott.but i remember this man that tould me when i came in,to make sure i could remember all the beer.so he wort out a list and tould me to remember it,so when i came in i knew what i was doing.

i remember one time when i was about 17 i went in to liberty book store.i was looking at doors that had a girl inside a booth. and the door had a photo of each girl behind the door.i remember seeing this one girl pic,and it had a strange name.it said LARITTA SEXY SHEMAIL.AGAIN IM ONLY 17 AND I HAD NO CLUE WHAT THE HECK THAT MEET.so i put my money in the booth,and i saw a women there,and yes she look very much like a women.so we made small talk.i ask her to open her legs,and she could tell that i was young,and did not know who she really was.so after a little more begging from me,she did open her legs,and what i saw was a LONG FREAKING CROOKET PENIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!. MAN I WAS LIKE YOU GOT A DICK!!!!!!!!!!!!! AND I FELL AS I RAN OUT OF THERE.LOL

I remember roni silver,dee. I met her at the silver slipper. She was living in winthrop at the time and hanging out with a red emerald named danny tibbets. She gave me a birth control tip one time that though i could see it would work, i didn't wind up following her advice. guess, i thought that i might have to use a rubber donut for sitting if i had...

Got to reminiscing and just did a search. I have good memories if not many of the CZ, the Naked I. I saw an add in the paper..you know looking for exotic dancers. I quit my crappy pay day job at a center plaza brokerage firm. I was young and stupid and glad of it. What an adventure! I was in awe of Princess Chyenne the first time I saw her on the stage. "Woman in the Moon" I remember the song. One of my favorites. So, face book huh?

Hi. I played guitar in the band at the Squire for 3 yrs July 73-July 76. The place drew a very diverse crowd: young people who came to dance, couples who came to hang out and drink, and of course the hard-core striptease audience. We played top-40 hits 5 sets a night, the dance floor was usually crowded and there were go-go girls on pedestals who got naked while we played. One I remember was named Misty. When we took our 20-minute breaks, strippers performed on the dance floor. Alphonso was the owner, Paul Tripp was the bandleader, the bouncers were Billy and John, the barmaid was Barbara. When Alphonso died, the new boss was Richie somebody. In July 76 I quit playing for a sales job with Capitol Records in NYC, and did that gig for over 30 years.

Hi Paul,
I just found this site, I am looking for people who remember The Squire when it was owned by Alfonso Aucella. He also had "Alfonso's and the Monkey Lounge" next door until it burned down in 1970. I was told that the Squire was called the Camelot Lounge first before it was the Squire but there are only a few ads for it in the old newspapers. Paul Tripp and the Knights played at both places.I would love to speak with you about your experience there as a musician! Thanks in advance, Brenda

I spent a lot of time in the Combat Zone in the mid-1970’s; I felt “looked after” by the folks that owned the clubs. I made friends with some of the girls.

Once we all went to the Four Seas for Chinese. A wino outside the club made a rude remark about all those girls getting into my limo. I flipped him the bird, with a smile and got into the car. As I settled back into the rear seat; I noticed, through my open window, the wino lurching across the sidewalk! I hit the up button for the window; the world went into slow-mo, the window, the wino and POW! My face and my powder-blue, 3 piece suit were drenched in muscatel!

The girls took this all in high spirits; they appreciated that I took the hit for their honor. The event was a great ice-breaker. Good times.

Do you have any memories of; Jackie Brody, Stephanie Rose, Krishna, Rachael or Sweet Lorraine?

Now that I am in this post, I can list some of the people I liked working with. I worked with Melanie my first day as she had the dressing table next to me. Teddy Venus was kind (Good Cop) and Elliot the manager was kind and then became brutal. He was a bully. So then I worked at the Teddybear and loved George and Bucky. Diane Lewis was my dressing room buddy for two years. I hated mixing and loved dancing. It was not such a priority at the Teddybear. I loved the band at both places and they were your friend if you wanted your music played right!! Here are a few of the names I remember working with, Mickey Martin, Diedra Rhodes, Nevada Sands, Mary from Vegas, Kenny the bartender at the 2o'clock, Ernie, Billy Martin (Sax) No No Nanette, Michelle, Lee Miles (the best heart) Peggy Bartender at Teddybear, Bernadette (Silver Slipper) - she sold me my poodle (Oliver Twist) through Peggy who had him first., Dusty, Cookie, Olynda, Bucky was the best. The teddybear was a special place as were they all in their own way. Jerry Dean comes to mind. She gave me her big pillow, a real lady all the way. Electra 2000 (RIP) Jose the light man at the 20'clock club. Sonny and Norma at the Squire treated me very well. Ernie the light man at the Squire. Of course Leigh Sheron and Tiffany Carter and Tiffany Diamond. These are the people that I can remember, there are many more. Christina Fox and her St Bernard who used to come up the back stairs at closing and if I opened the door and saw him, I let him come on the stage to wake everyone up!! Will come back when I remember more!! Hello Cookie from Chelsea!!

amber, you're so right. i dated lee miles for a while. she was really avery nice lady. in her day, when she was the star of the peek-a-boo room at the 2 o'clock, she had a terrific act. one night she was billed as "she came in a coffin" and eas wheeled on stage in an actual coffin. back then lee always had a kind of "elvira" look. last i knew she was working in brockton as a "spiritual advisor" (whatever that means...fortune teller?) i always liked her. i hope she's still with us and is ok. she did have "the best heart".

Hi. I played consistently at the Novelty 1970-73. What a bucket of blood. Bikers without bikes. A bizarre place if ever there was one. Booked by Don McNichol. Travelled to Baltimore in 72 where our organist Tony Z phoned up his old friend Roger Pace to sub in on drums one night at the Zodiac club where were gigging. Roger sang Rod Stewart songs that night.

hi Amber.I worked at the TB Loung from 1971 to early 1974,tending bar.Bucky got me the job.I was going to law school at the time.My best friend during that period was a dancer called Candy Heart,she was a bit older than me ,im 72 now.She was blond and had been in the business several years when I meet her.Her agent was Paul Jordan.I think she danced at the Squire Club after Big Al passed away when Richi Cass took the club over .ID love to find her,and see how she doing.Bucky,George Tec,Richi,and Paul J r all in heaven now,maybe u can help me find her.my tel #6175234499

WOW, great coming across this thread. I use to hang out at the game room. My friend stacey worked at 66. My uncle worked at a parking lot of Washington, across from a religious store.Ohh the memories. I hung at at T.C's too! I heard that mentioned,i lived upstairs.

There were two girls named Paris in the 80's. The first one was a tallish, long legged blonde, who left around 1983. I think she went to The Pussycat.

A couple years later, there was another "Paris", originally from Maine, who started dancing when she attended college in Boston. She was there until the club closed, sometime in the mid-90's. No idea what happened to her, but heard that she ended up going back to Maine and having kids.

a lot of stories, started 1965 at jeromes, 17 yr old,working for louis venois..i remember TT, the ferraries and i think a cousin of mine used to date george [holly].DINO [dean orr]bartender killed in a bank job early 80s. the adult bookstore nest to the world famous 2o'clock. harry p. ernie the attorney, ernie the bartender,lee miles in the back room [peek-a-boo room]peggy the daytime bartender [boyfriend steve] bobby marsh [bouncer bob?] elliot [gray slacks blue sportcoat]. the living room? devon st john from no la

I remember Ernie the Attorney, he did my taxes!!! I will never forget Elliot, could never figure him out. How can you remember what color his "uniform" was!!! Must have left an impression on you! LOL!
I heard that Ernie the Bartender (Such a Sweet Man) was thrown down an elevator shaft. Amber from California

i was in the navy and spent alot of time in the combat zone,there was ahot dog stand on the corner of washington st.,cannot remember the side street name but i drank all day and night at a bar on that side street,the owner was a good guy,his last name was a italian name,henry tanigliaro,bbad spelling.email me if anyone remembers this club or henry,i believe his son was shot leaving yhe club one night.

Does anyone remember a woman by the name of Vivian, very pretty. She was a go-go dancer for awhile at the Intermission around 1964 to 1965. She hung at Jerome's, the King of Pizza and Dino's. Married an Italian guy named George, but I don't believe the marriage was long-lasting. There was also a short guy named Dino we hung out with, outside of Jerome's mostly. Just wondering.

What a great site! Played at all of the aforementioned clubs in late 60's, but most memories from the Intermission. Band was called THE CHAIN GANG, our initial stab at full time music. Six sets a night; they turned the jukebox off 18 minutes into your 20 minute break, and if you were late you were fined! Seven nights/wk, with an additional matinee from 3-6 Sunday afternoons, and that was the norm for all those clubs. THE GIRLS weren't naked-YET-but there was a lot of other action going on in that place, believe me! Remember the Balliro people, envelopes passing at the door, and the circus outside in the streets. But that was a fast way to learn about being pro musicians. It served us well, along with countless other bands from that incredible era in Boston Rock&Roll. We all could identify with what The Beatles did at The Cavern, in Hamburg, and all that. It FORCED YOU to be professional-or else! so many stories, so little time... Fascinating memories.

I was serving in the Navy aboard the U.S.S. Boston from 1967-1969 and went to the Combat Zone often. I was in my early 20's and didn't have a care in the world! I liked the Garden of Eden especially. The manager was Larry Messina, then in his late 60's or early 70's, and it was rumored that he was a son of the founder of Boston's Mafia. To me, he was just Larry, a kindly, grandfatherly type that always came over to my seat for small talk. One of the bartenders was named Richie, who told me he had been on a chain gang in Florida. He was nice to me and slipped me a free drink occasionally. I dated Elaine Paul (stage name "Tootsie Roll")from the Garden of Eden for a brief time.
I also liked to go to Kim Toy's in Chinatown (good, cheap food!)
I wish every well who went through that stage of life in the Combat Zone.

I used to like the Kim Toy restaurant too. The notorious Professor Douglas used to eat there as well. I guess it closed in the late 80s or thereabouts. A smaller Chinese market now occupies the space.

I actually explored the area recently for signs of the old Combat Zone; one would never guess what it was once like. The building that was once Good Time Charlie's is completely gone. The Pink Pussycat is now a Vietnamese restaurant.

Hey there CZ refugees! Where are my 1989 homegirls??? I went by Kayleigh Morgan back then and I remember Trixie and Karen, my god I wanted to grow up to be Karen! And Jennifer Storm and Chloe and Tabitha and who could forget Kristara Knight! Yeah it was tough by that time and it was the first real eye opening experience for me.Damn near got shipped off to Hong Kong by one of the Chinese crew but I made it out alive:-) My time in the Combat Zone did alot to inform my perception of the world. It was there that my regulars noticed that I could write and they encouraged me by buying me copies of "Tropic of Cancer" and "Lolita" and they told me to circle all the words I didn't know and look them up in the dictionary. I may have been nothing more than a pretty face but there were good people there who were willing to encourage true talent when they saw it. I am now at Kent State earning my bachelor degree and yes, dancing and the champagne hustle are an integral part of my writing aesthetic. Would love to hear from and catch up with anyone from back in the day. By the time I got there, at the Naked I, Teddy had a goiter on the right side of his neck the size of a grapefruit. Hope all are well. Blessed be.

Better late than never... I worked the MouseTrap, Carribe, Living Room, 2 O'clock, Picadilly and Squires out in Revere. '73-'75. My beste friend back there was Ronnie Fox.
Reading thru the thread I saw many named I recognized.. So nice when I find one of my fellow girls out there still kicking.
I learned a lot of stuff I never really needed to know there, but... I wouldn't have missed it for the world!
Much Love
Many Blessings to you all..

You must be the same George I worked with on & off at a few of the clubs you mentioned here. I knew Ronnie Fox very well.She was from the North Shore.If this is you I hope all is well with you.TTYL? Tangerine

Life is Good!... Tangerine....how the hell are ya???
I'm in the process of retiring from a 30+ yr accounting position...(believe that???) hated it!!
Retraining for indoor horticulture and floral design, hopefully will be employed at a Strip Hotel, Las Vegas in a year or so..
Possibly looking at marriage #3?..:)

I'm doing just fine George thank you:) An accountant!? (You?) maybe you should show those Vegas comics a thing or two. I'll always remember quite often how you would amuse me/others with your endless brilliant humor & wit.On those slow Sunday evenings and dry nights ..you were our only hope:)Yes I remember both your wives.I knew Jennifer from working with her on the North Shore the Mermaid lounge later renamed Jaws. I think you were bartending there at that time? Your second wife.. (her name escapes me).They were both beautiful looking woman.You & your second wife lived just a few steps away from my house in the same waterfront niehborhood . Do you remember that? Jack the bartender lived for a while there with you .I saw Jack & Nancy coming out of the Amc theatre a few years ago. They look the same.Myself I am doing "some" acting work from time to time. I
worked on a movie with Arthur Wahlberg.. The Summer before last. He is Mark & Donnies older brother.My "real" job is in the animal care/training industry. I run my own business. I am also a proud Grandparent.I feel happy, well & safe I wish the same for you Amico.<3

When adding a new post to this site, can it be placed here as the latest posting? It takes forever to find new postings when someone has responded to a 2-3 year old posting. Just saying. Otherwise, you have to scroll through pages of old postings to get to it.

Just trying to connect with you to say Hi. Not sure if you are still out there as your last post was awhile ago but I hope you are doing well. I worked with you at the Caribe sometime between the years of 1979 and 1987. You know we were actually a part of history! The Zone only technically existed for a brief window in time, when you look back on it, and we were a part of it. It's amazing how we never even knew it at the time. I felt like the clubs would always be there for employment, even if we ended up working as waitresses or bartenders. And such a chunk of humanity all in one place. I truly loved some of the people who visited or worked in the club. What a shock when it all disappeared, only to be replaced by a Subway sub shop. Once, after it first became a Subway, I walked in and just looked around to see what may have still been the same. The stage mirror still ran along the wall.
I pointed to it and told the young man behind the counter, "Naked girls used to dance up there, once." He blushed and looked shocked at the same time. I just walked out, thinking it was funny and yet, it felt sad. Like something that used to be alive, was now dead. Everything and everyone was gone.

Another mind blower is to walk by the old Intermission lounge that is now an Asian restaurant, to look inside the big windows and see that all these years later, long after the club has closed, long after the music went silent, the owners saw fit to preserve a little piece of Zone history in their fine dining establishment. As part of the restaurant's current décor, it still possesses the old stripper pole, smack dab in the middle of the dining area.
If only they knew what went on there. I don't think that I personally, could ever eat there. Just me. I had a hard time eating in the Caribe! Not the most sanitary of places, to say the least!

Well I had to give my two cents worth and I'm hoping Tangerine is still doing well!

That goes for anyone else I knew from back then that may be reading this. We've made it this far, might as well keep going. We're doing something right. Tasha

Hey..Hi Peter..
I haven seen or heard from Irene since about 1980ish...
she came to Vegas about 1977 but we lost touch..I've googled and looked around Facebook for her...if you find her please let her know I've been trying ti find her for years
I worry about her too..

Is this that Peter? Friends with Marc, the bartender at Charlie's? This is Pam, Marc's girlfriend from that time. I was a bartender and waitress. Worked at the 2 o'clock, The Mousetrap, The Picadilly. Remember Ronnie Fox. She was a really nice gal. Me and Marc hang out with her sometimes.

Getting reinvigorated to work on collecting old photos of people and memorabilia of the Naked i Cabaret. I'd also like to take new photos of people who have their old photos, sort of a then and now. Cheyanne if you read this do you still have your satin jacket? I still have mine!! Can't fit it anymore...but that's another story entirely. Kendra, you still have your costume? Can you fit? Anyway, folks that have these sorts of things, photos especially, or if you danced/bartended etc and will pose for current photos, please contact me. [email protected]

We had satin jackets? Ohhhh it is coming back to me... a Naked i jacket? Am finally writing the memoir, well, this one... maybe some of your memorabilia could help me remember things! Get in touch. [email protected]

I used to frequent the Zone in the mid eighties. We never spent much time at the I, instead we went to the Boston Bunnies or the Pussycat.

I'll never forget Britney. I met her at the Pussycat. We drank together a few times. I also recall learning of her ahem...transformation shall we say. I remember one night some old dude told her she looked like Chrystal on Dynasty (Linda Evans). She tells the guy that she used to be hung like Blake. I nearly fell off the bar stool from laughing so hard.

I also recall a bartender at the Cat named Tio. He was a great guy, used to clear some seats for us whenever we came in. The dude really gave the royal treatment.

I played saxophone at Jerome's Naked i for maybe a year in 1975. I was 20 years old! What a blast!! I hooked up with a dancer named Breeze and we lived together for about 4 years. In 1976 I worked at the Living Room on Stewart street playing sax. Hilarious bartender named Frank. Some of the dancers were Cherry Vanilla, Lucia Leeds, Mona. All nice girls. That gig was 7 nights a week! I used to hang out at the Tam on Tremont St. on my breaks.

I recently heard that Terri from Beacon Street recently died at age 92! I understand that she "worked"(incall at her apartment until shortly before she died. Amazing! A friend of mine dated a few times in 2001 and he was very impressed! She was very versatile and enthusiastic. Once he had a 2 girl party with Terri and Anya the big busted German girl I commented on a couple of years ago, and it was unbelievable. She now lives in the suburbs and still works, However, it is hard to contact her as the Phoenix is gone and she has no computer. She is in her 70's and still is in great shape! Any news on the girls from thr good ol' days?

Man I had so many good times there when I was in high school. I had a part time job nearby and got to know quite a few people down there.

Anyone remember the platinum wigged older woman with a big rack who used to have the stool right at the entrance to the pussycat lounge? Snow day from school and I walked in early afternoon and she grabs me and starts tapping the ashtray on the bar to get the bartenders attention. I told her I only had two bucks on me but not before getting a hug with those big breasts pushing up over the top of her dress.

I remember one summer night going past the glass slipper and there were a couple of black hookers talking out front. I negotiated with one and she took me into an ally for full service(20 bucks). Could not have been nicer person and what an ass.

Anyone remember harry's bar. He used to get some pretty high end talent hanging around there. I remember getting robbed across the street by a sly little hooker. I used to see her all the time on the way out of work and we would say hi. She was always a real wiseass. Anyhow one time I go by her and she tells me she thinks I need a good time. I had 40 bucks so I said ok. we go behind a building across from Harry's and when she is done I reach in my pocket and no money. She said I could owe her but I knew she had paid herself.

Always had fun there. It did not seem so bad or dangerous at the time and I certainly was not a savvy city kid.

...in the early 80's I was an overnight manager at Star Market at the Pru, and always looked forward to 2:30 a.m. when many of the Zone dancers would come in!..They were so much fun and lively and did a little shopping too. I got along well with them, and one morning they surprised me with a T-Shirt that they had made for me..it said "Star Market Baby" and I bet I could still find it! I wonder if any of those sweet gals are reading this?
I could write a book about the comings and goings at Star during those times....Peter Wolf of J.Geils was a regular...on and on....

I was in the Pilgrim Theater the night that Wilbur Mills toddled onstage, while the Tidal Basin Bombshell was doing her thing. He was the Chairman of the House Ways and Means, US Congress. Foxe was a stripper he was enamored of. I swear, I was sitting there with a bunch of other teenage dopes, and I thought he was just part of the act. Imagine our horror when the Herald ran a front page picture the next day, with the back of our heads sitting in that front row...

I worked in the Zone in the early 80's (83/84) and in Chelsea. I went by the name C.J. Anyone remember a dancer named Pumpkin? I have fond memories of the Zone, taught me many valuable lessons which I use now in my career - sure taught me how to carry on a conversation with a diverse clientele as I mixed for drinks. I was also featured in Swank magazine, when they did a feature in the Zone called Boston Baked Buns - anyone remember. I'd love to get my hands on a copy today, for old times sake. I'd have to keep it under lock and key from my kids and grandkids - maybe I'll show my husband.

I remember Pumpkin. I worked with her in the Caribe in the 80's. She appears to have made it out alive and has been working for years, tirelessly rescuing young women from the sex trade (in all of its forms, nowadays). She is a great woman. And still beautiful.

I can't count the hours I spent in the Zone. Hot Dogs at Dirty Johns (Washington and LaGrange) and the best pizza ever at the King of Pizza. But the Sugar Shack was incredible. Imagine the O'Jays performing less than 6 feet from your table. If you could top the night off with potato pancakes at the Bulkie on Boyelston you were living. Props to Mayor Kevin White who took credit and mostly blame for the section of Boston that was almost exclusively for adult entertainment. All day Saturday shopping, an inexpensive meal at one of a whole lot of "joints" and an evening peep show. Finally a performance by the #1 soul act of the time and all in the Zone. The lights were awesome on a snowy night too.

Do you remember Together, the post Sugar Shack Sugar Shack? I saw Al Hudson and Alicia Myers LIVE with One Way singing, "Guess You Didn't Know"! And I remember the Village People played "YMCA" and all their hits. It all went downhill once the Transportation Building was built and Emerson College moved in. Not that there's anything wrong with that but everything got torn down - the Hillbilly Ranch, Trailways, the Four Corners, the Living Room, then, all of Park Square, the Teddy Bear, the Mousetrap and even the big Playboy club building with the big Playboy Bunny logo on it. Back then, it was like the Citgo sign but without the neon. Well, thought you might enjoy a trip further down memory lane! Tasha

YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW MANY LEGENDS OF BURLESQUE THAT ARE ALIVE AND WELL! WE MEET EVERY YEAR THE FIRST WEEK IN JUNE AT THE ORLEANS HOTEL CASINO IN LAS VEGAS. IT'S CALLED THE BURLESQUE HALL OF FAME (BHOF). WE HAVE SOME OF THE GREAT EXOTIC'S THAT GO THERE, PLUS THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE. GINA BON BON, ELLION NESS, KITTEN NATIVIDAD, MARINKA,SHANNON DOAH, BAMBI JONES, JOEY NAMATH, MYSELF ETC. I'M ON FACEBOOK UNDER ANGEL WALKER....I KNEW PAUL JORDAN AND FAMILY VERY WELL. I WORKED THE CZ FROM THE 60'S-70'S-EARLY 80'S. I WORKED THEM ALL THE 2:00, THE PIC, TEDDY BEAR AND MORE. I HAVE MANY CLIPPINGS OF ME FEATURING THERE. I WAS KNOWN AS SATANS ANGEL THE DEVILS OWN MISTRESS, AND QUEEN OF THE FIRE TASSELS. MANY OF THE PLACES WOULDN'T LET ME DO FIRE TASSELS, SO I USUALLY TWIRLED FIVE AT ONE TIME OF THE REGULAR ONES. THERE ARE MANY EXOTIC'S OUT THERE, WE HAVE ABOUT 50 OF THEM. I CAME OUT OF A 10 YEAR RETIREMENT TO DO A PLAY WHICH WAS WRITTEN ABOUT MY LIFE, AND PERFORMED FROM 1997 TO APRIL OF 2012 AS AN ENTERTAINER (I'M SEMI RETIRED NOW AGAIN). I'M 70 YEARS OLD, ALL NATURAL, AND STILL CAN ROCK IT ON STAGE (YOUTUBE) FOR AN OLD BROAD LOL. THERE WAS A MOVIE/DOC. MADE ABOUT MY LIFE SEVERAL YEARS AGO, AND NOW I'M WRITING A BOOK. I REMEMBER SO MANY OF YOU.....AND I WAS THRILLED TO FIND THIS SITE.
MUCH FIERY LUV,
SATANS ANGEL
AKA: ANGEL WALKER

I came upon this site by happenstance and it has brought back so memories! I spent some time at Club 66 in 1980.
September - December to be exact. I remember Arthur V. being a nice man. Does anyone remember a patron of Club 66 and the Naked Eye named Harry? Nice enough man. I think he owned Harry's Bar and two movie theaters in the CZ? He spent a lot of time in the 66 club. He was smitten with a dancer who was from the Cape.

This is an old thread. If anybody is still here I would like to share how I spent one summer during college in the early 70's in the Combat Zone.
I answered an add for a seamstress and found myself in the amazing world of costumes made by a person I never heard of, Hedy. I was the youngest and so did only basic tasks but I can tell you that the standards were incredibly high, the the machines, the fabrics and ornamentation all the best. Watching Hedy sew on the strings of beads, sequins and rhinestones was like watching a magician.
You had to go up a creaky elevator operated by her husband to get to the shop. I might have been nervous except that Ralph was such a nice man. The three of us girls worked together passing each garment from one phase of design, measure and cut to the construction, detailing and final finishing by Hedy. I never thought, growing up in rural America that I would be twisting feather boas or making g strings but the atmosphere was great, the customers wonderful the product awesome. Anyone who possesses one of Hedy's creations is a very very lucky person.
None of us knew Hedy had had a sex change operation. It was a shock at first but didn't make any difference. She was so cool.
I did not get enough hours there and a dancer asked me if I wanted to dance. That was NOT me! Then she said
there was a restaurant opening around the corner called the VIlla. There I worked with Devon St John, Patsy the incredible cook and a wonderful waiter named Jimmy Conte. When the clubs closed we were hammered. Devon was dressed as you would expect a hostess to be but ended up working in the kitchen where things were nuts. Meantime things were nuts in the dining room as well. But Jimmy, who had his own station, somehow always showed up to help out us younger ones. If he was not just the best coworker in the world he went the extra mile and always walked me to the subway and waited with me until it opened in the early AM.
Jimmy and his partner had a party at his home and there were all his friends which mixed the dancers and strippers with the "girls" from the costume shop and other characters. Now these were not the people I grew up knowing about but conversation was easy. We made fun of our landlords, raved about our pets and of course the outrageous food. We all got that we were more the same than different
I was never in any of the clubs. I only know the walk from the subway station to the Villain the dark with all the neon lights was sort of creepy. Then one day a bouncer stopped me and asked my name. I felt SO intimidated, I told him my first name. He then asked " Where are you from?" Now I was spooked but I told him. He said, " My uncle is there!" Certain he was lying I asked if he was a professor at the college. He told me, no, he was in the federal penitentiary. At that we both bust out laughing because of course! Every night that we caught sight of each other we could not help but laugh. I never knew his name but I always felt that if I ever a creep bothered me on the street he would jump in and scare the living daylights out of the guy. I never felt in danger in the Combat Zone because of all the nice people there who, like me, probably never envisioned being in a place like that.
What a neat experience. I learned a lot and want to thank everyone for the memories.

The Combat Zone has been gone for years, but why change the name? Its parts of the Coity's history, although not as vogue as beacon Hill, North Square or other area locals, its still part of Boston's Story. Lets change ChinaTown's name to South Cove. i thinks Chinatown is a racist term. Or The North End, Or Mission Hill

Does anyone remember when Good Time Charlie's became the Club New Orleans? I left MA. in '82, visited in '85 and everything was different. I heard Charlie (owner of GTC's and several other Combat Zone clubs had moved away. And while GTC's had some sort of jazz club upstairs, CNO featured the blues artist Weepin Willie on a regular basis. I think there were still hookers working out of the club but it was less blatant.

leo o'donnell(caribbe lounge) who shared his dancers with me! john and his brother caesar,who owned and ran the (six's-663 lounge and harry's) shared their dirty little secrets with me of what girl was RIGHT and what girl was WRONG! rice-athena(wow)-cindy-debbie-and hundeds of others over 20 years! those will always remain the best times of my life.....LONG LIVE THE ZONE!!!!!!!!

I remember Venus, Tom the doorman, Chip the woman in charge of the dancers... Arthur, Kendall, Mr. Zingas, the poor boy who was shot in Chinatown ( he was a boyfriend of one of the dancers) etc CLUB 66 Sometimes I hear a song and remember dancing to it-Van Morrison "Into the Mystic" and Journey "Loving, touching and squeezing" -long time ago and far away!!

I posted a couple days ago and it may be early but I have not viewed any replies, so I will ask if any of the former dancers, or patrons recall a young dancer that worked at the I and once in awhile at the liberty named chrystal??She started there when she was 18 and worked from 81, or 82 until late 84 or early 85. Her photo was on the front door at the I( I assume with other girls as well) she is wearing a lavendor kind of purple teddy. She lived shortly with another older dancer for a short while and hung out with several of the dancers when not at work. I dont want to mention her last name (to respect her privacy) however her first name is angelique (angel). chrystal was her stage name, around five foot six, 120 pounds, brown eyes brown hair (maybe frosted) and of course very attractive with really nice legs. Nice girl got along well with all.

I'd like to SHARE all these Combat Zone comments on my Facebook page but how do you do it? I have a new book out, "The Combat Zone," in paper and ebook about a P. I. in the early 1970's Combat Zone. 1st book in a series.

Anyone remember the Night of the Paramount Hotel Fire on Janurary 28th 1966, when My division
was having a Party down there and at around 6.30 P.m. , they came into the bar where we were and Asked if any Military Guys with Firefighting Training would come help with the Hoses.
We were pretty soused but SOBERED Up quickly when we seen the Bodies being brought out of the Hotel, I recall the Trucks ( Fire trucks ) # 7 & 17 that got there early..

I went by the Nickname of " Hutch " and was dating " GIDGET " that danced there ,
The Bar had a Row of seats up higher than the ones in the Lower stage area...
Where us Sailors hung out....

BACK IN THE DAY OF LUCIFERS NARCCISUS RATTYS UP ON ALLSTON THE RAT @ KEN SQ RAT RILEYS BFI BRIGHTON DIST I USE TO HANG TEN WHEN SIX WUZZ NINE AT 1869 BEACON ST APT 2 BROOKLINE AND KING ARTHURS BEVERLY THE HOTSY TOTSY """g""" WAS RUNNING THE BAR AND THE HOTEL KING ARTHURS BACK THEN AND BUTCH BRENAN WAS THE MAYOR OF CHELSEA FUCK THOSE WERE THE DAYS THE GOLDEN BANANA HOCKEY TOWN AGEAN FARE THE SALOON BAR GRILL SOUTH STATION MISS THOSE DAYS AND JOHNY D'S ALLSTON IM TITS UP AT SEARS POINT MAINE CHEMICAL DOCK ON CAPT DOWNING--AMERICAN HEAVY THEFT STAR DUST VIDEO IE LIBERTY BOOK STORE THE FIFTH AMMENDMENT?? ESSEX LIQUOR BUCKET OF BLOOD PUSSY KAT BAR ON LINCOLN STREET WHERE EVERYONE KASHED THEIR NMU/MEBA AND UNEMPLOYMENT CHEQUES AND EVERYONE KNOWS YUR NAME EH HA HA HA HA HA THE COMBAT ZONE A COCK SUCKERS PARADISE REMEMBER THE REGISTRY COPS AND METS??RAT BASTARDS!!! HAPPY SWALLOW GREAT SCOTTS YA GOT YER FRANKS PLACE ON BLUE HILL REGAL DONUT LANES AND THE PENT HOUSE PUB ON BLUE HILL SMEGMA AND THE NUNS RATHSKELLAR ROLLS ROYCE MATTAPAN I HEAR TELL THE CITY IS GOING TO MAKE 1869 BEACON STREET A LANDMARK ON THE FREEDOM TRAIL IN BROOKLINE VENDING MACHINES FOR CLEEN SHEETS TOILET SEAT NAPKINS SANITARY NAPKINS 10 CENTS A PIECE REMEMBER THEM / OLD ENGLISH LEATHER PERFUME AND VENDING MACINES SELLIN RUBBERS IN THE FOYER AT KING ARTHURS IF I HAD MY WAY I

1970 TO 1980 THE BEST MOLLYS BUNRATTYS GREAT SCOTS THE TAM O SHANTER
KINVARA MAVERICKS JACKS THIS WAS BOSTON !!!!!!!!!!! THIS WAS MASSACHUSETTS IN ITS HEY DAY THEIR WILL NEVER BE ANOTHER!!!!!!!!!!! IF YOU HUNG OUT AT THESE BARS YOU HAVE GRADUATED FROM COLLEGE LUCIFERS JOHN Y D OUR HOUSE EL PHOENIX ROOM 1869 BEACON ST APT 2 PARANORMAL CENTRAL SUNSHINE CLEENERS PINO PIZZA MARYANNS BAR PRESTO PIZZA SHAWMUT BANK

izzat you ??? - I heard you wuz dead !!! - U got that line you owe me ??? - bahahaha - memba snortin' blow off a dat strippers ass - an' the good times at the Rat - omg we are lucky to be alive !!! - '75 red sox, brah !!!

I've enjoyed these posts. Hopefully it's not too late to chime in. I started as a dancer in 1985. Saw Roy Dee's ad for exotic dancers, no experience required. Mel hired me. He preferred girls in gowns. No floor show was required. Mel was a Scollay Square man. We were all sad when he died and son Geoffrey took over. He had none of the class of his old man. Rick was the night manager and Tom the day manager. I still have a pair of gold Stuart Weitzmann stilettos and two gowns, one a Hedy Jo, one made by Scarlett. I still smell the cigarettes when I hold them. I worked with Cheyenne (prettier before her perm), Gezzelle (the best), Dorie Dixon, Linda Lamia (gentle lady), Britney (saved me from mad Lorna who tried to attack me with a hairbrush), Eva (I'll always miss you), Rose (so graceful), Modesty (Wild Is The Wind by Bowie never sounded better), Malika (surrounded by Chinese admirers), Jamie (daytime DJ, elegant lady, I still have cassettes of sets you made for us both), Topaz (half Lebanese and half Japanese - wow), Lee (hilarious), others too numerous to mention. I remember you, Joel, and Babe, Mel's brother, and Joanie, and many other bartenders. There was a constant parade of sexy, feisty ladies, and one or two born entertainers. The place had atmosphere, interesting customers, my very first customer was a sailor from Singapore, I also met authors, comedians, athletes, photographers, students, tycoons, doctors, cooks, con men, you name it. What a terrific education. A customer handed me a strand of pearls as a tip while I was onstage and another drank champagne from my shoe. I learned a lot of valuable lessons about myself and others. Went to at least one meal after hours at the Four Seas with Michael Kwong and company. Felt as glamorous as a star some nights, as dirty as muck on others. Anyone knows anything about Gezzelle, please give me a shout. Thanks.